CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri kicks off the 2019 campaign against Southern Mississippi, Sunday. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT at Houck Field. This is the first time the two teams have faced off in program history.
The Redhawks went 3-0 in exhibition matches this season, marking victories over Memphis (1-0), Missouri State (3-0) and Southern Illinois (2-1).
SEMO was picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference's predicted order of finish. The OVC implemented a new Player Watch List prior to the start of the season and
Esmie Gonzales landed a spot on the list, proving to be one of the top players in the conference.
Head Women's Soccer Coach Heather Nelson and her husband, Associate Head Coach Paul Nelson, embark on their 21st season together at the helm of the SEMO women's soccer program.
As the team prepares to begin the 2019 campaign, the staff and players look to replace missing pieces after last season. The 2019 roster features 24 student-athletes, 16 of which return from the 2018 OVC Tournament Quarterfinals team. This includes Gonzales, a First-Team All-OVC selection and the league's leading scorer, and OVC All-Newcomer goalkeeper Bailey Redden.
Goalkeepers
SEMO will look for Bailey Redden to assume the role of starting goalkeeper. Redden recorded 69 saves in 1292 minutes in the net over 15 games a year ago. Also returning is redshirt-sophomore Kayla Byrd, who adds depth to the goalkeeper position. Byrd has a solid skill set, strong desire and is a welcome addition to the Redhawks lineup.
Defenders
The Redhawks will rely heavily on senior Jordan Nelson to lead the defenders. Nelson appeared in every game last season and even recorded three assists. Other returnees include redshirt-junior Lexie Hacker and redshirt-senior Siena Senatore.
Nelson played in all 18 games a year ago, after sitting out both the 2016 and the 2017 seasons due to injury. She also tied a career-high two shots against Austin Peay. Nelson had a goal in both shootouts during the OVC Tournament.
Hacker did not appear in any games during the 2017 season, but Hacker had an impressive 2016 season with the Redhawks as she appeared in all 19 games with an assist. She played in one game before an injury cut her 2018 season short.
Senatore participated in 18 games and made 10 starts as a freshman in 2015, but has since been sidelined due to injury. She recorded only one shot and it came in the semifinal round of the OVC Tournament against Tennessee Tech.
Midfielders
Nelson calls her midfield the "engine room" of the team. SEMO returns many excellent athletes in Hannah Compernolle and Esmie Gonzales, as well as four others.
Gonzales is expected to reprise her role as attacking center-mid this season as she did in years past. During her rookie campaign, Gonzales earned Second-Team All-OVC and All-Newcomer honors. She has since been named to the All-OVC First-Team in back-to-back years. In her career at SEMO, Gonzales has 24 goals and eight assists. She has not missed a game since putting on a Redhawks jersey.
Compernolle enters her third year with the Redhawks after playing every game the past two seasons. She recorded 17 shots last season and six shots on goal in her career.
Senior Cassidi Tomsu, junior Lexi Grote and sophomores Abby Tremain and Kate Daus are others returning. Tomsu saw action in every game last season. The Jackson, Missouri native finished with 15 shots, including four on goal.
Grote played in 16 games last season and logged 15 starts. In the OVC Tournament, the Granite City, Illinois native scored a goal against Belmont in the OVC Tournament to help the Redhawks advance to the quarterfinals. She brings over 2300 minutes of experience to the team.
Tremain and Daus saw ample playing time last season, finishing with just under 700 minutes combined. Tremain played in eight games, recording four shots with one on goal. Daus participated in 16 contests as a true freshman. She finished with a total of eight shots and three shots of goal.
Natalie Jackson, Hailey Block, and Gabby Gscheidmeier look to make an impact on the field, as well.
Forwards
SEMO's forwards are clearly the most experienced on the 2019 roster. After only losing one forward, the Redhawks welcome four new faces to.
Morgan McCourt returns for her sophomore season after being named to the OVC's All-Newcomer Team following a stunning rookie season. She appeared in every game as a freshman, starting in 13. The Burlington, Wisconsin native had four goals with a season-high two against Illinois-Springfield.
Jen Brien returns for her fourth and final season with the Redhawks. Brien has 41 shots with one goal and two assists.
Emily Holten had an assist in 17 games last season. Holten finished with 16 shots, eight of which were on goal.
Senior Katie Lever and sophomore Lauren Welker along with newcomer Lena Franke complete the 2019 team. Franke joins the Redhawks all the way from Germany.
Schedule
The rest of SEMO's non-conference schedule includes matchups with Southeastern Conference foes Ole Miss (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Aug. 29), and Missouri Valley Conference members Evansville (Sept. 5) and SIU (Oct. 6). Both games against Ole Miss and Arkansas will be played at Ole Miss in a two-day extravaganza.
SEMO opens OVC play at home against Belmont (Sept. 20). Eastern Illinois (Sept. 22), SIU Edwardsville (Oct. 3), Jacksonville State (Oct. 25) and Tennessee Tech (Oct. 27) round out the Redhawks home conference slate.
The Redhawks road portion of league play includes trips to Austin Peay (Sept. 27), Murray State (Sept. 29), Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 11), Morehead State (Oct. 13) and UT Martin (Oct. 20).
